Professor Nana Poku is the Vice-Chancellor and Principal of the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN) with effect from 24th June 2019. He previously served as the Deputy Vice-Chancellor of the College of Law and Management Studies at UKZN, and as Acting Vice-Chancellor and Principal from 1 October 2018.
He holds a PhD in International Political Economy and has a distinguished career in research on the political economy of health and HIV and AIDS in sub-Saharan Africa and substantial managerial experience in international organizations.
Professor Poku also brings with him a wealth of experience in Higher Education. He has served as Professor of African Politics at the University of Bradford in the United Kingdom and was subsequently appointed Dean for the School of Social and International Studies and later Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Research. He returned to Africa to lead the African Union preparation for the Sustainable Development Goals; and within UKZN, served as the Executive Director of the Health Economics and AIDS Research Institute (HEARD).